NZTech Update – The tech story, Asia and recruiting

Hi Readers,

If you ask the average local person in Asia what they know about New Zealand, it’s very likely that the answer will include tourism, education, dairy, beef and lamb, high quality food products and other primary exports. It is highly unlikely that technology innovation or digital products would be mentioned, even though we have thousands of world class tech companies in this country.

As a technology entrepreneur who has travelled extensively throughout Asia, this is a constant frustration for me. There’s no place in the region where I can use the NZ Inc brand to help position a tech business as being from a high tech export nation. This is why NZTech is actively working to develop the NZ Tech Story in collaboration with Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE), New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE) and New Zealand Story to add being a high tech nation as an integral part of the story we tell the world about ourselves. You can add to the development of the story via the NZ Tech Story Forum on Linkedin.

At the same time, I have also been learning that the tech sector is not an island. As most of our tech companies are still relatively new to business development in Asia, it would be smart and important for us to be there alongside other New Zealand industry sectors which have been doing so for much longer and are therefore bigger, stronger, better known, more visible, more active and more connected in the region. Technology businesses are more relevant when promoted as part of the sectors that we serve.

Critical mass is important for branding in Asia. So while we haven’t got many large tech brands from New Zealand, we do have a large number of tech firms. It would be great for us to come out in number and support the NZ Tech Story, particularly in Asia.

On another note, NZTech is currently recruiting a number of roles including a Festival Manager to join the Techweek team and a new Government Relations role in Wellington (yet to be advertised). Pass on the message if you know someone who’d be great for the NZTech team.

Mitchell Pham
Chair
NZTech

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14 September in Christchurch

Are you our next Festival Manager?

CONNECT

Join us for lunch and a panel discussion on how to create a more inclusive workplace on 7 September in Auckland. Facilitated by Michael Carden with Rhonda Koroheke, Lesley Elvidge, Andrew Weston and Gerard Graham.

How does a high growth business raise capital? How do you approach a bank for funding and what does cyber liability mean for you? Attend Becoming a Digital Business on 11 September in Auckland.

Learn about the LookSee Tech Talent Pool headed to Christchurch. Hear how to hire international pre-screened talent at this information session on 31 August.

PROMOTE

Do you have an awesome venue, in Auckland or Wellington that you are willing to share for an NZTech event? As a not for profit we are always on the lookout for free venues to help keep our costs down. If you can help, please email our event manager, Georgia.

Follow Grow GIS NZ and take the 2017 LINZ geospatial Virtual Field Trip for schools, available from 29 August. This year’s theme is ‘Finding Resilience – the technology behind locating and responding to natural hazards’. Available free to all interested schools.

Summer of Tech’s Auckland hackfest is 26-27 August with presentations open to employers on Sunday. Auckland and Wellington recruitment events also run in September. Over 1000 students and graduates seeking internships.

ADVANCE

Which policies are going to help or hinder New Zealand’s future focused tech driven economy? Come along and listen as the political debate on New Zealand’s Digital Futures continues in Wellington on 30 August. Discussion will focus on our 2017 Tech Manifesto.

Congratulations to Jennifer Rutherford on her appointment as Chair of the Hi-Tech Trust, who bring us the NZ Hi-Tech Awards. New categories are to be announced in September. Entries open in November and the Gala Awards Dinner on 25 May in Christchurch to conclude Techweek’18.

Ahead of our NZTech Advance Security Summit on 25 October in Wellington, CEO Graeme Muller, says kiwis still need to stay vigilant when it comes to cybersecurity. Meanwhile, how should society prepare for AI? Read the AI Forum’s update to learn more.

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